Email This Story to a Friend

Two interesting videos paint very different pictures of what life is like for cows in the Ohio dairy industry.

You can watch both videos, and decide which is the truth.

The first is produced by Ohio Dairy Famers, a dairy industry group. The video is called "Ohio Dairy Farmers Kids' Video." The description goes like this: "Have you ever wondered where some of your favorite foods like milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream come from? They are all dairy foods and they are made with milk from dairy cows!" You can learn about the producers of this video at http://www.ohiodairyfarmers.com/

The second video comes from Mercy for Animals, which describes itself as "non-profit animal advocacy organization based in Chicago and dedicated to ending the exploitation and abuse of animals." They describe their video as follows: "Hidden camera video secretly shot by an investigator with Mercy For Animals at an Ohio dairy farm reveals shocking, malicious cruelty to calves and cows. The video, recorded between April and May, 2010, shows dairy farm workers beating cows in the face with crowbars, stabbing them with pitchforks, breaking their tails, and punching, throwing, and kicking calves." Learn more about Mercy for Animals at http://www.mercyforanimals.org

Watch the videos -- WARNING: The 2nd video is horrific and graphic and heartbreaking to watch.

In addition to supporting legislation prohibiting cruelty, another way to "vote" is to stop using dairy products altogether. Not only does this mean a person is no longer complicit in this kind of cruelty, but it's probably the single most beneficial thing you can do for your health -- giving up dairy.

FACEBOOK COMMENTS:

I witnessed this almost 30 years ago and am in tears frequently knowing that I live peacefully while this trauma, brutality and disgusting torture towards gentle creatures is taking place. Human animals are the cruelest and lowest life forms. We will hopefully become extinct and my prayer is we don't take any other life with us!

I am so shamed.. We are calling ourselves human beings..No any humanity here. You shameless, heartless, terrible man from this video (and everybody like you); you don't deserve to breath this air, you don't deserve any good in your life! Shame on you!!!

Yes,I agree with you. But, when I watch sth like this, I am asking myself; where is the end of human despite,turpitude, cruelty...Because, this, on this video is just -one- case of everything what is happening around us. Behind closed doors,every and each day happen terrible and disgusting things; to animals, to children, to women... Very big part of all of it stays hidden, far from any law. Because of that, I said that I feel so helpless, so miserable when I see what people can do. People are the biggest evil in this Earth..we have mind, we have intelligence, we (should) have some power of comprehension...but that power we (too big number of people) use in totally wrong and disgusting way. We will pay for it one day, we already do. I am not some religious fanatic, but sth what I know for sure is that we are part of this Nature, not the Lords of it. All what we do today, we will get it back tomorrow (sickness, disasters ...) And sorry for my lang. mistakes, I am from Croatia (Europe). Bye

It must be so nice to believe we live in a world where "the video can be taken to the authorities because animal cruely is outlawed" and there are laws to protect animals? Really? In the real world, slaughterhouses are the ultimate animal cruelty. Do we really believe that authorities would open up the ultimate can of worms (pardon the pun) to enforce a kinder gentler killing? This video depicts exactly how all animals reared for eventual murder are treated. Will BP be called to task and be outlawed for what it did?Neither will any dairy or other animal farmer for cruelty. This is how it is! People who continue to consume dead products are the direct causal link to cruelty and murder! No thanks from the animals.

I agree that so much cruelty, etc. goes unpunished, but you have to start somewhere, and this is clearly a case of animal torture. I am certainly aware that there are many people who rationalize eating meat, etc., and for them there are many gray areas that we would see as clearly wrong. But this crosses every line I can think of! If nothing else (and this may persuade those who don't think of animals as having rights), the sort of people who treat animals this way usually treat other human beings the same way, either now or eventually. That is, human beings that they think are "below" them such as women and children, minorities, elderly, poor, disabled, etc. Isn't it true that most serial killers start out torturing and killing animals? This video should set off all kinds of alarms!

The guy in the video has been charged with 12 counts of animal cruelty and a felony weapons charge. His name in Billy Joe Gregg. Here's a link with the most recent information I could find. http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2010/jun/10/4/alleged-animal-abuser-pleads-not-guilty-firearms-c-ar-104418/ I hope he's found guilty on all counts and his sentences run consecutively, not concurrently. He deserves it. From what I read, he's just the scapegoat. The owner and 4-5 other workers have been filmed abusing animals, too. They all belong in prison.